Art. 20. Some Account of the unfortunate Convicts, particu cularly John Ah, who fuffered at Newgate, March 4, 1784. By a Clergyman. 6d. J. F. and C. Rivington. This little pamphlet will give pleasure to every benevolent heart, which will rejoice in reading the promifing fituation of men about to exchange time for eternity. To fuch we recommend this account moft earnestly. Art. 21. A new Grammar of the French Language; with Exercifes upon the Rules of Syntax, Dialogues, Vocabulary, Idioms, &c. By Francis Soules. 12mo. 3s. boards. Dilly. This thick volume, in twelves, feems well calculated to answer all the purposes of a grammar, exercifes, and vocabulary of the French language, and as fuch, we recommend it to any of our readers who with to acquire this fashionable language. Art. 22. Drill Husbandry perfected. With other interefting Circumftances in Agriculture, refpecting the most effectual methods of producing the greateft Crops of Corn, which any given lands are capable of producing; with an elegant Copper-plate of a new-invented Patent Machine, for drilling Land, and fowing or planting therein, in any given Quantity, and at any given Depth, and Diftance, all forts of Grain, Pulfe, and Seeds, with or without ground or pulverized Manure, viz. Soot, Salt, Afhes, &c. mixed therewith, and harrowing the fame with a new invented Hand-Hoe. By the Rev. James Cooke, M. A. S. A. 12mo. Is. Murray. The newly-invented machine, defcribed in this Treatise, of which there is here an engraving, difplays a confiderable fhare of mechanical genius in the author, and may certainly, we flrould imagine, be ufed with advantage in agriculture. The inventor gives very plain and full directions for the ufe of his machines, and has prefented the hufbandman with feveral obfervations, both theoretical and practical. Art. 23. Genuine Memoirs of Afiaticus, in a Series of Letters to a Friend, during five years Refidence in different Parts of India, three of which were fpent in the Service of the Nabob of Arcot. Interfperfed with Anecdotes of feveral well-known Characters, and containing an impartial Account of the Confinement and Death of Lord Pigot, and of the Share the Nabob of Arcot had in that Mémorable Tranfaction. By Philip Dormer Stanhope, Efq. late of the First Regiment of Dragoon Guards. 12mo. 2s. 6d. fewed. Kearfley. Whether there is, or ever was, fuch a perfon as Philip Dormer Stanhope, Efq. late of the first regiment of Dragoons, who was obliged, on account of debt, to flee from the Univerfity, who had an intrigue with a Mifs Charlotte Rivers, and went through fo many fcenes as are here described, in a space of time almost incredibly fhort, we leave our readers to inquire, or to judge. All that we fhall fay, is, that feveral interefting matters relative to the Eaft Indies, are to be found in the performance before us, mixed with all the charms of a románce. Art. Art. 24. Yorick's Jefts, or Wit's Common-place Book, arranged on a New Plan. Being a Choice Collection of Humourous Jefts, Happy Bon-Mots, Strange Adventures, Whimsical Sayings, Difficult Riddles, Perplexing Enigmas, Smart Repartees, Ridiculous Blunders, Droll Tales, Pleafant Stories, Keen Epigrams, Puzzling Rebuffes, Original Crofs-Readings, &c. &c. Selected from the Works and Anecdotes of Voltaire, Foote, Lord Chesterfield, Dr. Johnfon, Mat. Prior, Dean Swift, Sterne, Quin, Thornton, Garrick, Colman, Chafe Price, G. A. Stevens, Beau Nash, Ned Shuter, Geo. Selwyn, Col. Boden, &c. &c. -And other celebrated Wits of the laft and prefent Age. To which is added, a choice Selection of Toafts and Sentiments. I 2mo. 19. Bladon. 1783. As good perhaps as any other jeft book, but not one whit better. Art. 25. Letters to Honoria and Marianne on Various Subjects. In three Volumes. 12mo. 7s. 6d. fewed. Dodfley. The complexion of thefe volumes is various. Some of the letters are very trifling, fome ftolen, and but a few original or entertaining. However, they are all of that kind which will tend to improve the minds of the young, and may be read with more advantage than novels can bestow. The fentiments of them are all juft, the diction in general pure, and their variety and delicacy feem to fay they are the production of a female pen. DIVINITY. Art. 26, Directions for the Student in Theology. 12mo. 6d. Law. 1784. The directions are very proper; but not fufficiently comprehenfive. In this fceptical age, the author of a fyftem of theological study fhould have fhewn the great importance of philofophy to a Theologian, and directed him to fuch a courfe of reading as might best inftruct him in the nature of the evidence of the different fpecies of truth or knowledge. Art. 27. Forms for Public Devotion; as ufed at Lancaster Chapel, and adopted (as all Public Services fhould be) to the Ufe of Rational Chriftians of any Denomination. By John Baxter Pike. Small 8vo. 2s. 6d. Goldney. 1784. After a very proper and pious dedicature to the King, in which there is nothing, either adulatory or unjust, Mr. Baxter Pike gives in a preface, an account of this publication; and there is nothing in this account but what appears to us to be very reafonable. There are certain particulars in our litany, though admirable on the whole, that might be improved.-Yet in order to preferve the unity of the church we ought to avoid feceffion and innovation. If we cannot approve of every thing in the fervice of the church; let us go along with our brethren in what we can. The forms propofed by Mr. Baxter Pike, are well adapted to the different fenfations of Christians, and in general to public focial worship. Art. 28. Memoirs of the Life and Writings of the late Rev. Thomas Baker, B. D. of St. John's College in Cambridge; from the the Papers of Dr. Zacary Grey, with a Catalogue of his MSS. Collections. By Robert Matters, B. D. and S. A. 8vo. 4s. Boards. White, London. Merril, Cambridge. Mr. Baker never filled any public ftation in life, and is but little known as an author. What chiefly entitles him to praife as a writer, is the book which he publifhed, ftiled, Reflections upon Learning, wherein is fhewn the infufficiency thereof, in its feveral particulars, in order to evince the ufefulnefs and neceffity of Revelation. In this book he has fhewn himself well acquainted with all parts of learning: Mr. Bolwell in his Method of Study, ranks it among the English Clafficks for the purity of its ftile, and we re commend it to the perufal of young students, as an incomparable performance, and well fitted for an introductory treatise to the fciences. "A Piece," fays he," of fo excellent a Nature, that will deferve a repeated Perufal, and that too with more than ordinary Exact"nefs. That masterly Diction, that Purity and Simplicity of Ex"preffion, that runs through the whole, will furnish out a beautiful "Pattern for Style; and that Variety of Matter it contains, will afford fome useful Hints even to the wife and learned. 46 "Thofe fine Obfervations which the Author has made on the feveral Branches of Knowledge, that came under his Notice, "will give the Reader a general Notion of the most valuable Parts "of Learning, and prepare him for a judicious Perufal of thofe "Books that treat of them. By the help of this useful Treatife, he "will be able to obferve the Defects of the feveral Sciences he in"tends to ftudy, and mark the Faults to be avoided by Beginners. "He will here fee human Learning taken down from its exalted "Heights, its Difficulties pointed out, and its Vanity and Infuffici6C ency expofed, in a beautiful Manner: and in an Age, wherein "Learning is admired almoft to the Lofs of Religion, what can "be a more proper Introduction to the young Gentleman's Study, "what a more fuitable Expedient to guard his Morals from the In"fection of a degenerate World, than a Treatife of this Kind ?" It appears that Mr. Baker was candid, polite, and learned; that he was accustomed, in every book he read, to make observations, and to give an account of the Author; that he was a great antiquarian and collector of manuferipts; that he lived much esteemed and beloved, and died lamented by all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance. He was undoubtedly a very amiable and respectable charader. Yet there is but little, if any thing at all, in these Memoirs, that can be generally interefting. They are for the most part trifling, and ferve to difplay, in a strong manner, that rage for anecdote, and every minute circumftance of paft times, which is dignified by the name of a tafte for antiquities, and which difgraces the prefent times. Art. 29. Sermons on various Subjects. By the Reverend Mr. Edward Arthur, Minister at Baremore, Etal, and last at Swalwell, near Newcastle. 4s. Law. 1783. The editor of these fermons informs the candid reader, that they are published at the defire of the author's friends, for the benefit of his two daughters, who live at Etal, in Northumberland. Mr. Arthur is not, indeed, as his editor acknowledges, a fine writer: writer nevertheless, his fermons are replete with good, found, or thodox divinity, both practical, and fcholaftic. And, as they are published for the benefit of his daughters, they will be purchafed, we hope, as well by thofe who lay fome ftrefs on good works, as by thofe whofe fole reliance is on faith. Art. 30. Faith and Works. A Sermon, preached at St. Luke's, Chelfea, February 29, 1784. By Richard Sandilands. Ball. Coll. Oxon. Chaplain to the Right Honourable the Vifcountefs Dowager Hereford. Published at the Defire of the Parishioners. 8vo. is. Cadell. The preacher endeaypurs to reconcile the feemingly oppofite opinions of St. Paul and St. James, concerning the doctrines of faith and works. Hence he is led to explain the meaning of these famous terms in theology. He gives proofs of great piety, and a ftrict attention to the facred fcripture. He concludes with "ob"ferving," (and this is a very happy word, for he had not proved it) "that St. Paul never oppofed the doctrine of St. James, nor St. "James the doctrine of St. Paul," Though the doctrines in question have not been reconciled by this weak, well-meaning preacher, they are not irreconcileable; and they have, in fact, beep reconciled by different divines, particularly Dr. Heylyn. POETRY, Art. 31. Werter to Charlotte, a Poem. 4to. Murray. The story of the unhappy Werter is univerfally known. The author of this poem appears to have had Pope's Eloifa to Abelard in his eye, nor, though he falls fhort of that author, has he been unfuccefsful. The following lines, which are not the best in the piece, will, we flatter ourselves, be no unpleafing fpecimen of his abilities. And thou, O Albert! this adieu receive! ENG. REV. Vol. III. May 1784. Share Share and Sphere are bad rhymes, but the general construction of the poem is commendable, and the pathetic parts are affecting. There are many fymptoms of a genius that promifes better things,. and merits encouragement. Art. 32. Hero and Leander. A Poem. Tranflated from the Greek of Mufæus. 4to. Foulis, Glafgow. 1783. This tranflation is liberal, correct, and poetical, the author has in many parts caught the fpirit of the original, and transfufed it into his lines, which will be read by all with pleasure, and even by rigid critics without disdain. There is fomething in the poem that inclines us to fufpect, that its author is the fame with that of Werter to Charlotte. Art. 33. The Modern Atalantis; or, the Devil in an Air Balloon. Containing the Characters and Secret Memoirs of the moft confpicuous Perfons of high Quality of both Sexes, in the island of Libertufia, in the Weitern Ocean. Tranflated from the Li bertufian Language, 2s. 6d. Kearfly. This is one of thofe pamphlets, which, without any real merit to fave it from oblivion, will run through more editions in one year, than a good book will in fix. It is calculated to gratify that paffion for fcandalous anecdote, which diftinguishes the taite of fine gentlemen and ladies ;-while we allow fomething to the fluency of the author's pen, we cannot but think it fhameful that no better ufes could be found, to which he might apply it. Art. 34 The Double Difguife, a Comic Opera in two Acts: as performed at the Theatre Royal in Drury-lane. The Songs fet to Mufic by Mr. Hook. IS. Bell. as a The dialogue of an opera of two acts, being meant merely as vehicle to music, cannot well be an object of criticifm: if it were, this little opera would efcape with as much lenity as most of the kind. The mufic, we understand, is good, and there is an attempt at character in Rofe, an Irish waiting woman, which is by no means unfuccefsful. The Baronet is a vulgar dog, and fwears too much, but we believe there are fuch baronets on our lift. The engraving of Mifs Phillips, which is given in this opera, is tolerable, but the likenefs would difgrace a purblind painter. A rt. 35. Te Progrefs of Politics, or, a Key to Prior's Alma, First Canto. IS. Cadell. The ambition of our minor poets feems to be confined to what they call good lines. Thofe attained, they care little for good-fenfe, or good conftruction. When we fay there are a few tolerable lines in this poem, we fay all that we can fay in its favour, for what a mufement can a lover of poetry find from the party politics of the day. The bufinefs of poetry is to please. It was referved for the poets of our time to bring poetry into the fervice of politics, and make mock whigs of the nine mufes. Art. 36. The Temple of Wit, and the Temple of Fally, a Vi fion. Is. Becket. The Temple of Folly is obvious in this poem, but we have not been able to difcover that of Wit, unless the author would mean the following lines as witty • But |